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Wilson, Arthur

Arthur Wilson was born on 27 June and baptised on 2 September 1889 at Sunderland Street Chapel, Macclesfield, the son of Elizabeth and Arthur Wilson, of 13 Longacre St, Macclesfield.

The family later moved to 12 Roe St, Macclesfield Cheshire.

WW1 SERVICE

Arthur enlisted shortly after the outbreak of war and was drafted out to France on 10 July 1915.

On 26 April 1918, the Macclesfield Times reported that Arthur had lost his life in an accident:

Mr A Wilson, 12 Roe St, Macclesfield, has received news of the death in France of his son, Driver Arthur Wilson, Cavalry Reserve, attached to a Labour Company. The Captain stated that Driver Wilson accidentally lost his life on April 19th. He continued: “He was sitting on the water-cart and the driver of the trace horses was riding. The latter felt the pole strike his leg and, looking round, saw your son hanging on to the pole and the shaft horses galloping. He managed to pull all four up in a field, but by this time the right wheel had passed over your son’s left shoulder. The party ran to his assistance but he expired almost immediately. The only explanation that the driver can give is that your son… fell asleep while driving, otherwise I cannot see how he could fall off the water-cart as the horses were walking uphill previous to the accident.”

Driver Wilson, who was 29 years of age, enlisted shortly after the outbreak of war. He was soon drafted out to France, where he sustained a fracture of the skull due to a kick from a mule. He recovered, went back to France and was later wounded, afterwards going out a third time. Driver Wilson was educated at Christ Church School, and was the organ-blower at Trinity Wesleyan Chapel. He was employed prior to enlistment by Mr P Davenport. Two brothers, Ptes Harry and Sidney Wilson, are both missing.

Brother of Pte Fred Wilson, who was wounded in France and became a prisoner of war in Germany; Harry Wilson, who served as Private 41711 with the Yorkshire Regt; Pte Ernest Wilson, who served with the Royal Field Artillery in Salonica; and Sidney Wilson, who served as Private 52267 with the King’s Liverpool Regt, was wounded in France in 1917 and was awarded a certificate “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in the face of the enemy, and under heavy shell and machine-gun fire, during an attack on the Hindenburg line on the 9th April,” reported in the Macclesfield Times on 1 June 1917.